Knitting accessory



March 9, l1943. l. v. THUN 2,313,684

KNITTING ACCESSORY Filed Aug. 21,1941

fzdenlof'.' law fawuzm,

Patented Mar. 9, ,1943

UNITED STATES PATENT FFICE KNITTING- ACCESSORY Ivar V. Thulin, Upper Darby, Pa. ApplicationAugust 21, 1941, SerialNo. 407,702 c claims. (ci. 242-4149) My invention relates to a new and useful knitting accessory and particularly to improvements concerning the structure disclosed in my United `States Patent No; 2,172,074, dated September 5, 1939.

The device is especially adapted for use in connection with knitting [but also can be used in crocheting and similar work. The device becomes, in effect, a third hand and properly directs the material strand to needles held inthe operators hands by a `simple rotary motion imparted by the index nger. Such a device eliminated the most difiicultpart `of knitting by providing the proper tension on the yarn or other `material strand at all times, without depending upon the touch of the operator, thereby producing speed, eiilciency and practically perfection in knitting because each stitch will .be even, smooth andperfectly formed.

One of the objects of the present invention is to simplify the construction of theaecessory by using few parts, thus causing a saving in material, labor, time and expense.

Another object of this invention is to provide a construction that simplifies the threading operations.

Aiurther object of the invention is'to provide a knitting accessoryv including a` split bendable ring for placement upon apersons finger and an arm projecting'from said ringrhaving its outer end constructed to constitute a feed loopor eye with an entrance leading thereto and having a tongue acting as'a closure for and a guide to said entrance. 4

A still further object of this invention is to provide a knitting accessory consisting of two units assembled into a unitary structure, one unit comprising the ring with itsarm having the feed loop or eye and the other unit including a tension clip and guide chock fixed to and cooperating with said first unit.

With the above' and other objects in view, this invention consists of` certain details of construction and combination of elements hereinafter set forth and then designated by the claims.

*In order that those skilled in the art to which this invention appertains mayiunderstand how to make and use the same; I will describe'itsrconstruction and operationl by referriiigby numerals x to the accompanying drawing forming a part hereof, in which:

Fig. 1 is a view looking over an operators shoulder to show how the ,knitting accessory is used.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the knitting accessory.

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section-al view thereof.

Fig. 4 is a section on the line 4 4 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is also a sectional view on the line 5-5 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 6A is an outer end View of the device.

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary plan view of the arm blank.

In carrying out my invention as herein embodied I0 represents a split ring of relatively stii bendable material to permit expansion or contraction thereof vfor adjustment to the size oi' a persons-nger. An arm or extension II projects from one edge at the top of the ringas anintegral part thereof and therefore is of the same bendable material, the purpose of` which will be explained hereinafteri, y y

During the blanking operations the outer end of thear'm II is fashioned as shown in Fig. 7 to provide a horn I `2 and a tongue I3, the inner end of whichis turned up to produce a ilange I4 and Y provide a smooth or finished border, withv a substantially semi-circular or arcuate recess I5 between said horn and tongue, the edge of the arm surrounding said recess being turned down to produce a flange I6 and form a smooth or finished border The tongue I 3 is then bent around so as Y to overlap the horn andform the feed eye II with a lateral entrance coveredlby the tongue which acts as a guide to said entrance. The tip of the tongue is'canted outwardly to permit easy insertion ofl the material` strand` beneath said tongue. l

On the ring is mounted the combined tension clip I8 and guidechock I 9. This unit is produced from a single piece of fiat spring material and fashioned to provide a neck`20, a head 2| offset to one side of the neck and said chock I9 which projects from the same side of the neck as said head but spaced therefrom and located adjacent the inner-endof the ring when considered with relationto the accessory in use on a persons linger.

Said guide chock has'a curved portion which, with the ring, forms an eye 22`for the passage of the material strand and the free end of said guide chock flares outward to form a lip 23 for easy insertion of the material strand into'the e'ye 22.

Thek head 2l of the tension clfip has` a longitudinal` channel24 in its under face,preferably formed by bending said head'into Van inverted V- shape in cross section and in alignment withboth eyes I I and 22. Theouter' end ofthe head is slightly turned up to provide raf'lip 25" and said head is preferably set at an angle to the arm I I and said lip and angular position of the head permit knots, knobs or other protuberances on and pulled into the guide eye 2" i, fr l the material strand to readily enter the channel and pass beneath the tension clip from either direction. As the head of said tension clip is free to move to and fro relative to the arm I I an unobstructed passage at the side of said head is provided which leads to the channel 24 so the material strand may be inserted laterally beneath the tension clip instead of having to be threaded lengthwise.

To thread the accessory, hold the ring inthe left hand with the arm extending outward. kWith the right hand pull the material strand under' the tongue I3 until said strand enters the feed eye I1, then carry the strand rearward and insert it laterally under the head of the tension clip and finally said strand is carried back and inserted under the lip 23 o the guide chock I9 the device is ready for use. To unthread the device orremove it from the material strandthe above operations are reversed.

With the devicefthreaded as above outlined, it is placed uponv the, index Vnger of the right hand so that the feed eye I1 will be in proximity to the knitting operations andas a stitch is picked off one needle a portion of the material strand is looped about the pointed end ofthe picking needle, through a generally rotary motion imparted to the feed eye II by the inand out and to and fro movements of said index finger. The particular location and arrangement of the feed eye II and because of the smooth border of said eye, the material strand will be laid down properly and without any chance of knots, knobs or other protuberances catching on sharp or angular edges that might prevent movement of the strand, break or otherwise damage the same, Due to the tension clip extending from its anchorage point in the direction of movement of the material strand through the .device a smooth but firm pressure is applied to the material strand and such action cannot be obtained with a tension` device situated Vcrosswise of the ydirection of movement ofV the material strand. The unique formation and disposition of the tensionrclip permits use of the accessory in connection with knobby and irregular yarns.

llecause of the fact that the accessory`may be threaded and unthread-ed` at any time with.- out severing the material strand or passing such strand endwise through encircling means, said accessory may be removed and replaced whenever desired thereby enabling theknitter to transfer the device from one piece rof work to another; to ltemporarily remove it, 'as when discontinuing Voperations for some reason; to readily and quickly apply it to other work; and to perform these acts for any other reason. c j

The device is also adapted for use as a thread tension and gui-de in connection with'the operations of crocheting in which instance the finger supporting the accessoryy is not especially moved about but is merely retained in aposition that will cause the thread to assume a position in proximity to the needle while the latter is use.

1. A Aknitting accessory comprising a ring to be slipped on a persons finger, an elongated arm projecting from the outer edge of said ring and extending beyond the end of the persons finger in a plane substantially parallel thereto when in use, said arm having a recess at its outer end, a horn at one side at the outer end of said arm, a tongue at the opposite side at said outer end of said arm, said tongue being curved around and overlapping the horn and spaced therefrom to form a feed:l eye from the recess and provide a side entrance thereto between the tongue and horn and also act as a gate for said entrance, a

guide chock on the ring adjacent its inner edge vand open at the side to permit lateral insertion v. of the material strand thereinto, and a tension 22 at which time clip located between Vthe feed eye and guide chock 'and anchored on said ring, said clip having an unobstructedv passageway thereto at one side'to Y permit lateral insertion of said strand beneath said clip. v

2. The structure in claim V1 wherein the material of the border of the recess is turned down.

v3. The structure in claim 1 wherein the inner edge of the tongue is turned up. -V

4. The structure in claim lv whereinthe material of the arm about a portion -o Ithefrrecess is turned down and `the material along a portion of the inner edge of the tongue is turned up to provide a smooth border for the feed eye.

5. A knitting accessory including a ring, an armprojecting from the outer edge oi said ring,

said armk having acfeed eye in itsouterjend, a-

tension .clip comprising a neck having a portion fixed to the ring and projecting toward'srthe arm and ahead offset to one side of the neck and overlying the arm, and a gui-de chock formed integral with the neck- `of' the tension clip in the region oi its point of connection to the ring Y and projecting from the same side of theneck as the head, said guide, chock being fashioned to provide a guide eye and the end of said guide chock'A being free to permit lateral insertion of a material strand beneathvthe guideA chock' into the guide eye. f i l s 6. A knitting accessory comprising two units joined into a unitary structure, one of said units comprising a split ring, an integral arm Yprojecting from the outeredge of said ring, said arm having a recess at its .outer lendaV horn ato-ne side of the outer end of said arm, and a tongue attheother side of the outerendof saidarrn and curved around'and overlapping and spaced from the horn to form a feed eye from the recess Of course I vdo not wish to be limited to the exact details of construction herein shown and described as these may be varied within the scope ofthe appended claims Without departing from the spirit of my invention.

as new and useful is:

, Y lHaving described my invention, what I claim I and provide a sideentrancethereto between the tongueand horn andalso act as a gate for said entrance, the other unit comprising a neck, an integral yhead offset to one 'sideof said neck at oneY end thereof, and an integral guide chock. offset tothe same sidefof the Vneck as the head and at the other end of said neck, said guide chock Vfashioned to provvide `arcurved portion and a'lip,

said second unit beingrfixedin the region ci` the guide chock tothe ring adjacent its inner edge considered `with relation to Y the device!V in use,

the curved portion ofthe guide chock' coasting Y with the ring to form a. guide eye .andthe-head coa-cting with the armtof'constitute a' material strandtensionng means. 

